7 Layer Bean Dip

7 Layer Bean Dip

from simplyrecipes.com
Appetizer
20 min
8 servings
250 kcal / serving

Our version is made with hot refried beans topped with cheddar cheese, chilies, tomatoes, avocados, sour cream, and sliced black olives. It's an essential game day appetizer.

Ingredients

  • 2 cupsrefried beans, canned or homemade
  • 1 teaspoonbacon fat (or 1 strip of bacon, cooked and minced), optional
  • 1 teaspoonchipotle powder, or more to taste (or plain chili powder to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoonground cumin
  • kosher salt
  • 1 cupshredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
  • ¼ cupchopped green anaheim chiles (canned)
  • 1avocado, peeled and chopped
  • 1tomato, cut in half horizontally, seeds and juice gently squeezed out and discarded, chopped
  • ⅓ cupsour cream, or crema mexicana
  • 1 cupsliced ripe black olives
  • corn tortilla chips, to serve

Directions

  1. 1

    Warm a serving dish: Heat your oven to its lowest temperature. Place an oven-proof large bowl or a glass or ceramic pie dish in the oven to warm as you're making the beans.

  2. 2

    Prepare the refried beans: Heat the refried beans in a medium sauté pan or cast iron skillet. Stir in enough water to get a creamy, easily dip-able consistency, about 1/4 of a cup. The taste of refried beans is greatly enhanced by bacon fat; we'll add a teaspoon to canned beans or a tablespoon or more to taste if we are making the beans from scratch.

  3. 3

    Add the seasonings to the beans: Mix in the chipotle chili powder and cumin to taste. Stir in salt to taste, depending on how salted your refried beans are to begin with, and depending on how salty the tortilla chips are that you are serving with the dip. Heat until the beans are hot and bubbly.

  4. 4

    Spread on the serving dish and top with cheese: Remove the serving dish from the oven, and spread the beans evenly over the bottom. Immediately top with the shredded cheese so that the heat from the beans helps melt the cheese. (The cheese doesn't need to be completely melted, but even if it is just a little, it will help the dip stay on the chip.)

  5. 5

    Layer on the toppings: Layer on the chopped green chilies, chopped avocado, chopped tomato. Spoon on the sour cream (or crema Mexicana). Top with olives. Serve immediately with tortilla chips. Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!